1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a body protection article, and more particularly, to a body protection article comprising a gelatinous composition having an additive formulation for treating the protected skin. The body protection article can include a glove, socks, wrist band, brace for the knee, ankle, elbow and the like, or a shaped pad sized to cover any part of the body requiring delivery of a therapeutic active formulation to the skin. The gelatinous composition helps keep the skin moist while the therapeutically active formulation beneficially affects the well-being of the skin, such as skin sensitive to ultra violet light, burned skin, skin healing after a surgical procedure and the like.
2. Prior Art
It is known in the prior art to incorporate an additive into a gelatinous material formed into an article for wearing on the body to affect the well-being of the person. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,098,421; 5,167,649; 5,181,914; and 5,330,452, all to Zook describe various devices comprising a viscoelastic gel pad having pharmacologically active agents incorporated into the gel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,931 to Zook describes a pad made from a soft viscoelastic gel material containing a high percentage of plasticizing oil for equalizing pressure directed to corns, calluses, bunions and the like. It is also known to apply medication to the skin for the purpose of treating dermal afflictions and for delivering medicine to the body through the dermis. An example of such an externally applied medication is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,274 to Kamiya et al. which describes creams, ointments and the like comprising an xcex1-monoglyceryl ether, a physiologically active material and an oily material. The physiologically active material comprises compounds such as drugs, growth hormones and the like including vitamins, for example, Vitamins A and B12.
However, what is needed is a body protection article such as a glove, socks, shaped pad and the like that is comprised of a therapeutically active formulation-containing gelatinous composition that imparts beneficial properties to the skin protected by the article. Such benefits include, but are not limited to, reducing scar tissue from burned skin and skin healing from a surgical procedure by maintaining the skin in a moist and lubricated state, treatment of skin blemishes and providing gentle compression to cushion and help absorb shock forces directed to the body.
The body protection article according to the present invention comprises a thermoplastic, gelatinous elastomeric composition containing a therapeutically active formulation as an additive incorporated therein. When the gelatinous composition is intimately combined with a substrate such as a cloth material, paper or a polymeric film provided as a piece of clothing or a shaped pad sized to cover a particular part of the body, the therapeutically active formulation is released from the gel to affect the well-being of the person wearing the article. The gelatinous composition is preferable a block copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene) and poly(styrene-ethylene-ethylene-propylene-styrene) combined within a plasticizing oil. Preferred therapeutically active formulation includes vitamin and/or natural oil additives.